On August 31, 2023, we added a Google integration to canvas.stanford.edu that will interest both students and instructors.
- Students can add files directly from their Google Drive to Canvas File Upload Assignments. Submitted Google Docs, Spreadsheets, and Presentations will automatically be converted to their Microsoft equivalents (e.g. Google Presentations become PPT files) and be accessible to instructors in Canvas SpeedGrader.
- Instructors and students can create Collaborations in Canvas for Google Docs, Sheets, Presentations, Drawings, Forms, Jamboards, or Sites for the whole class or selected members to work on together.
- Instructors and students can embed Google Drive files using the Canvas Rich Content Editor in Discussions, Announcements, and other tools that use the editor.
- Instructors can add Google Drive files to Canvas Modules.
- Instructors can add a Google Assignment as an External Tool from Canvas Assignments. It is different from using Canvas Assignments in that it
- Allows instructors to create and distribute an editable copy of a template Google Doc, Spreadsheet, or Presentation to each student.
- Allows students to run an originality report on their work before turning it in to make sure they have quoted sources on the open web, if the instructor has enabled the plagiarism detection option. Note: Instructors must give “clear advance notice” before turning this option on).
- Note: Using Google Assignments as an External Tool can be complex so we recommend instructors read Getting Started with Google Assignments and familiarize themselves with its options and caveats before attempting to use it.
The latest Google integration, Google Assignments (LTI 1.3), is now pre-installed. It is more secure and enhances and expands on the functionality of the previous Google integrations it is intended to replace.
- An earlier Google integration, called Google Drive (LTI 1.1), was available on request but is no longer available.
- A more limited integration called Google Docs is still pre-installed in Collaborations, but will become unavailable in 2024.
A note before use
We recommend using your university Google account (sunet@stanford.edu) when accessing this functionality, even if some functionality can be accessed with a personal Gmail account. You can only create a Google Assignment and collaboration from your sunet@stanford.edu, but other features allow you to choose a Google account. While we don’t expect you will be sharing high risk data which would require the use of your sunet@stanford.edu account, for your own privacy and to avoid confusion that can be caused by switching accounts, we don’t recommend signing in with your personal Gmail account.
Either way, keep in mind that if you do sign in with your personal email,
- Collaborators will see your personal Gmail when they view the people with access to the file or project.
- Files shared via Canvas modules or the rich content editor will have your personal Gmail associated with it and be shared with anyone who has the link in order for it to be visible to the class.
- Teachers will see your personal Gmail when you are responding to a Google Assignment (this is not true if you are responding to a file upload Canvas assignment by clicking the Google Drive LTI 1.3 tab; those files are converted to docx, xlsx, and pptx).